


Friends

by silvertrails



Series: Avengers [17]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 11:17:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21135839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvertrails/pseuds/silvertrails
Summary: Bucky starts to understand that this is reality and not a dream or worse.





	Friends

**Friends  
** By CC  
May, 2015 

This is an amateur effort and does not intend to infringe on the rights of Marvel. No profit is made, and no harm is intended. My stories are loosely based on the comics’ and the movies’ canon.

This is a ficlet for Wystii, who wanted Avengers, Cap/Bucky. I hope you like it! =)

* * *

James looked at himself in the mirror, unable to reconcile the man he was looking at with the fuzzy memories of being Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Bucky, as Steve called him. He knew that he was no longer the Winter Soldier, Lukin’s puppet, the assassin who had trained Natasha in the Red Room. 

His hair was shorter now. Not as short as it was when he fought the Nazis along with Steve and the Howling Commandos, though. His clothes were warm and functional, and he was wearing gloves to hide his metal hand. Winter clothes made him feel comfortable, even if Steve had bought them for him. It felt wrong to depend on Steve, but he had been unable to do much until he had regained enough of his memories to realize that this was not a dream, or a plot of Hydra’s enemies. Now he knew for certain that this was reality, and that he wanted to stay with Steve.

He also wanted a job, but the only thing he could do was fight, and he doubted that anyone in Shield or the Avengers would trust him not to turn against them. James wouldn’t trust himself in their place, either. 

“Are you ready, Buck?” Steve said, as he came out of his bedroom.

James looked at him. “I have been ready for hours.”

Steve smiled. “You were never this punctual before.”

James frowned. “Wasn’t I?”

_Is this part of my programming then?_

“Bucky…”

“James, my name is James.”

Steve looked hurt. “I know.”

James sighed. “Listen, you can call me Bucky if you please. It’s just that I only see myself as James now. I do remember you calling me Bucky, but it still feels strange.”

“I understand, James,” Steve said. He smiled, though his eyes were sad. “I haven’t called you James for a long time. I’ll get used to it.”

James nodded. “Thank you. Where are we going then?”

“I thought we could visit our old neighborhood.”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Steve simply nodded and moved toward the door. James knew that Steve needed more from him, a friendly smile perhaps, but how could he do that without betraying his feelings? He still had to do something, though.

“Steve, wait.”

“Yes?”

James schooled his face into a pleasant expression. “Thank you for your help.”

Steve relaxed marginally. “You would do the same for me, Buck… I mean, James. We are friends.”

James could not help but smile as a sudden memory of Steve and himself walking around Brooklyn at night flooded his mind. “Yes, we are,” he said, letting his smile grow wider.

Steve smiled too, and there was something else in his eyes. James wished he was able to understand what it meant, but he had been isolated from social contact for too long. At least Steve looked happy, and that was enough for now.


End file.
